Closure an option for Catmose Sports Centre pool

The future of a public swimming pool is under review after it was closed for health and safety reasons.

The swimming pool at Catmose Sports Centre in Oakham has been closed for five weeks after leaks were discovered in the roof.

Further investigations found a number of other problems which need to be addressed, forcing Rutland County Council to consider the building’s future.

On Tuesday members of the cabinet will look at four options for the facility before a decision is made by the full council.

The options are to close the swimming pool permanently, to repair the beams and aluminium frame at a cost of £130,000; to replace the structure at a cost of £500,000 or to rebuild a new pool at a cost of £3.7m.

A report to the council suggests repairing the structure is the favoured option. Designs are being drawn up but if the work is approved, it will take until at least January for the repairs to be done.

A spokesman for Rutland County Council said: “The swimming pool was closed following a survey to examine leaks in the roof which found other issues that require further investigation.

“A number of options around future plans are due to be presented to councillors. Members of the cabinet are being asked to recommend a way forward that will then be considered at a future meeting of the full council.”

The swimming pool was refurbished in 2007 and the repairs were given a life of 10 years.

But the structural survey found that the beams have warped and the aluminium frame has moved, causing the leaks.

The frame also has weak joints with “high risk of local sudden collapse”.

If the council agrees to carry out the repairs to the beams and frame of the building, it is expected to extend the life of the pool by four years.

The more expensive option of replacing the frame would last up to 10 years but the work could take up to 12 months to complete.

Members of the public with swim membership for the centre have had their monthly payments frozen since the pool closed.

But some users with dual membership for the swimming pool and gym or fitness classes have complained that they have not received any discount or been offered an alternative.

Rutland County Council and Stevenage Leisure Limited, which manages the sports centre for the council, were unable to say what the situation was with dual memberships.

In the meantime the council is directing people to other public swimming pools in the area, including those in Stamford, Melton and Corby.